PCGS News Update
PCGS Announces Partnership with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
As the Hall's exclusive grading service, PCGS will create special HOF inserts for certified 2020 basketball commemorative coins
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), sister company of PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), is partnering with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on a 2020 basketball commemorative coin program.
The planned $5 denomination gold, $1 silver and 50-cent clad legal tender coins to be struck by the United States Mint will honor the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's 60th anniversary. PCGS will be creating customized designs for encapsulation inserts in conjunction with the Springfield, Massachusetts-based basketball museum. Each special label will bear the Basketball HOF logo and a portion of the fees will go directly to the Hall.
"We are extremely proud to be the Exclusive Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Coin Grading and Authentication Partner," said PCGS President Brett Charville. "This is a distinct privilege and one we look forward to maintaining for years to come."
According to the Mint, the dome-shaped coins will be curved to resemble a basketball. The winning obverse design, by Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Justin Kunz, portrays the fast pace, intensity, and hands-on action of a basketball game - the constant, competitive struggle for possession of the ball and the skill required to clear the hoop. The design features three players reaching for the ball in unison, reflecting how the sport of basketball has brought together diverse people around the world through a simple, universal, and unifying athletic experience. The reverse depicts a ball going into a hoop.
Shown above is the common obverse (left) and reverse (right) of the $1 silver United States Mint 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coin. For illustration purposes only, the coin is shown in a mock-up of the prospective PCGS custom label.
Sales from the Basketball Hall of Fame's official anniversary coin, which will be released next year, could provide significant fundraising opportunities for the Hall. The Mint's program calls for the production of up to 50,000 gold coins, 400,000 silver coins and 750,000 clad coins.
"It is an honor for Collectors Universe to work with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on this 2020 commemorative coin project," stated Collectors Universe CEO and President Joe Orlando. "Not only do we believe this specially designed coin will appeal to the numismatic and sports collector communities alike domestically, the worldwide popularity of the sport opens the door to international opportunities. In addition to creating customized designs to enhance the presentation of these coins, we intend on using the power of our leading PCGS and PSA brands to help broaden the appeal of these collector items."
Representatives of the United States Mint and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame unveiled designs for the basketball commemorative coins on September 6, 2019 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo credit: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva added: "The funds generated will allow us to bolster our educational programs and ever-growing portfolio of events nationwide."
The Hall of Fame is authorized to receive surcharges from the sale of the coins in the amount of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver and $5 per clad.
For updates and additional information on PCGS's special Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coin label, please visit PCGS.com/HOF.